As you may have come to understand through reading the Bible as well as following and practicing the word of God that as Christians, we mainly abide by principles. Rather than follow a set of rules we comply to principles which applied just as much to the first believers as they do to today’s.
We all go through life wearing some sort of “uniform” with individuals belonging to a certain ingroup keeping to a certain dress code. In many ways your appearance is an extension of who you are, a reflection of your values, in other words the manner in which you present should reaffirm who you are.
What you should or should not wear as a Christian will therefore not be set by status quo, not wearing a certain style of clothing or conversely sporting Christian t-shirts but rather, based around the principles of the Bible.
Is there a Christian Dress Code or Proscribed Clothing?
In Timothy 2:9 God advises us to favor a modest or “respectable” appearance for this reason, clothes that can evoke lust in others can be seen as a way to “tempt” or rather, take away someone’s attention from where it should be directed which is towards the Lord.
Of course, this isn’t to say you mustn’t present yourself under your best light but instead refrain from doing so in an ostentatious manner that is to say, self-indulging or self-praising.
It’s Left up to Our Judgement
At no point in time has Christianity manifested itself through a particular attired however as previously expressed, any believer is required to adorn an attire that isn’t in contradiction with their faith. This principle can especially be observed at times Christians dress in ways that aren’t necessarily directly related to modesty but rather circumstances.
Rather than thinking of what limits you want to set on yourself picture it from this angle, at which level would you like to excel in your relationship with God, as your success in that relationship has a domino effect on the rest of your life.
Helpful guiding questions:
- Is my outfit appropriate for the circumstance?
- Is it respectful of those around me?
- Does it have the potential of offending or inspiring (even against my own will) bad thoughts?
It should be emphasized that if clothing has the potential to guard your intimacy it can also reveal it along with who you are hence why your appearance or clothing can be so closely attached to who you are.
Finding the Right Balance
In today’s modern world it can be hard to reconcile Christian values with current fashion, this is why the emergence of Christian apparel brands offering clothing such as Christian t-shirts, hoodies, pants and more have been helpful in creating simpler ways for believers to follow God’s word.
All in all, God doesn’t ask of us to live a life that doesn’t correspond with our time or to remain indifferent to styles and fashion trends being popularized around the world but rather to stay true to His and thus our values.
